A visit to the City...

[IzzieK]

This is the city part of St. Louis, Missouri where I live. We went there Saturday to get a Senior Lifetime Pass to all the National Parks in the US. They offered this pass before but we missed out so this time we kept calling them each week until we finally got positive response that they have enough to go around for us to have one.

1 Approached to the Gateway Arch. When I first came here to Missouri, we passed this way and Bill very proudly tells me the history of the Arch. If I can remember right, I was very, very quiet. After a while he noticed I wasn't saying anything, he kept quiet. When we got home, I asked him what the significance of the Arch is because I haven't heard of it and asking why he was so animated telling me about it. It was kind of funny because he assumes every one in the world knows about all the US significant landmarks so he assumed I would have heard of the Arch. Anyway, here is the link to Wikipedia for those that do not know about the Arch. Not much editing here as I just used Camera Raw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Arch


Shot from the car, nothing really significant here as I just want to show the environment of where we were heading to.

2 There is a train line passing through this bridge on the metal brown part and under the bridge across, then the traffic up the top. I took this shot across the parking lot where we parked our car. We had a hard time trying to find this $5-a-pop parking lot as most of the public parking lots in that part of the city cost $30. It is because there was a baseball game at the Busch Stadium last weekend. We were not prepared to pay $30 for the hour that we spent there. Anyway, this place is a just a hop and a skip to the Gateway Arch.



3. On our way to the Arch, this is the newly constructed park near it. I do not know what the deal is here, a park with no shade? It is not really finished yet I suppose... But people are allowed during the weekends to walk around it and in it. Anyway, this shot is a practice for me about shooting buildings. It just happened to have a park in front of it.


I think this one is overdone...

4. Reaching for the star – I sort of lie down on the pavement to get this shot. This is the vision I had in mind to process it. When I left, Bill pointed me to people trying to take the photo of the Arch the same way I did – lying on the ground. He said I started a craze. NOT! In case he think he has a crazy wife, I will look for that youtube video I saw once of photographers physically playing contortionists just to get a shot...ha!



Anyway this is my version of the Arch's shot...

For C&C if you do not mind these kind of shots...Hope you like these. Thank you.

[JohnRostron]

Izzie, you cityscapes are good, but the last pic, of the arch with the sun behind is really imaginative. It was worth getting down to ground level for. I would guess that the cloudy vignette is added PP. It is a pity about the contrail, and what is the black blob?

John

[LePetomane]

Izzie, I like the last one. The Gateway Arch is impressive. I went to medical school in Missouri and I would see it when traveling.

[Wavelength]

Liked them all, and the last one in superlative; the real creativity

[IzzieK]

Izzie, you cityscapes are good, but the last pic, of the arch with the sun behind is really imaginative. It was worth getting down to ground level for. I would guess that the cloudy vignette is added PP. It is a pity about the contrail, and what is the black blob?

John

I noticed that blob after I had got off the forum -- and also the contrail. I have no idea where that blob came from as it wasn't in the original shot...I guess I wasn't paying attention to the editing as much as I like the effect that I did. I really should had brought my yoga mat to lie down on... I will put the replacement edit. Thank you so much for your eagle eyes. I also removed the contrail. And yes, the dreamy look came from Nik's vignette blur effect. Otherwise, the colour of the skies and all are original. Thanks again...for commenting and critiquing...

[IzzieK]

Izzie, I like the last one. The Gateway Arch is impressive. I went to medical school in Missouri and I would see it when traveling.

Thank you so much for commenting, Paul...so you ended up being a doctor? and building your own house in Sheridan. Impressive. I can already imagine you are not germophobic... Did you go to Wash U ? Anyway, thank you so much for passing by. I appreciate your comments. I replaced it with the corrected image.

[IzzieK]

Thank you Nandy...you are very kind. 'Appreciate your passing by...and commenting.

Liked them all, and the last one in superlative; the real creativity

[Rita]

Hi Izzie, I really like the scene in #2 but if it were mine I would clone out the partial lamp stand (?) on the far right side. Is there a reason that you only captured half of the tree on the left?
#4 nice effect with the vignette, just enough to make it misty looking. Laying on the ground has given you a creative angle for this shot that I like very much.

[bnnrcn]

The last one looks great Isabel Very nice shooting angle, composition and PP work.

[Shadowman]

Some of the best scenes are viewed through a car window; probably why drivers get annoyed with photographers. 3 and 4 are really good, the others are nice as well.

[Dave Humphries]

The last one looks great Isabel Very nice shooting angle, composition and PP work.

+1

The last one is great, although I did waste time looking for the blob and contrail after reading John's post - and before reading yours

Talking of time lost; the linked article on the arch was fascinating, but it delayed my post here by an hour or more as I became distracted by Wikipedia

I won't be too harsh, but I believed #2 needed levelling and #3 looked over saturated, but all was forgiven when I got to #4.

Keep at it, Dave

[LePetomane]

We went there Saturday to get a Senior Lifetime Pass to all the National Parks in the US.

Senior pass?? You look so young in your avatar picture. I did not go to Wash. U. I went to what is now AT Still in Kirksville, Missouri. Then to NYC for the rest of my training. I am currently practicing in the Twin Cities but my "fun" home is in Wyoming. I will be there on a permanent basis at the end of 2018.

[mknittle]

Nice set Izzie The last one is my favorite. I also like the auto nd filter in the first one.
I think the bridge has potential under the right weather conditions.

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie, I really like the scene in #2 but if it were mine I would clone out the partial lamp stand (?) on the far right side. Is there a reason that you only captured half of the tree on the left?
#4 nice effect with the vignette, just enough to make it misty looking. Laying on the ground has given you a creative angle for this shot that I like very much.

I wasn't looking again. I thought it looked good until I submitted it, the colour became more pronounced. Must be time to recalibrate my monitor..Thank you for commenting. Getting up after the shoot did hurt a little. I nearly used my cell phone to call Bill who was amusely looking at me until he saw the next couple doing the same to get the same shot? Maybe not, perhaps a different POV...appreciate your critique as always.

[IzzieK]

The last one looks great Isabel Very nice shooting angle, composition and PP work.

Thank you for your kind comments, Binnur...

[IzzieK]

Some of the best scenes are viewed through a car window; probably why drivers get annoyed with photographers. 3 and 4 are really good, the others are nice as well.

Tell me about it, John...but there are places we just cannot stop right away because we are either in the middle of the street (or not...) then if there is a chance to stop, the scene is so much more different. 'Must be the framing on the windshield that makes it look better kinda like a filter, eh? Thanks for commenting. Gives me something to think about next time...when we went there, I had no idea where we will be able to park, how far is the place we were going to as to the place where to buy the ticket.

[IzzieK]

+1

The last one is great, although I did waste time looking for the blob and contrail after reading John's post - and before reading yours

Sorry....

Talking of time lost; the linked article on the arch was fascinating, but it delayed my post here by an hour or more as I became distracted by Wikipedia

I won't be too harsh, but I believed #2 needed levelling and #3 looked over saturated, but all was forgiven when I got to #4.

Keep at it, Dave

Come to think of it, I think you are right about #2. I should have leveled it from the tree going to the right. I thought it was leveled enough by looking at the posts... I should had replaced the over-saturation but let us just call it artistic for now...

#4 was well conceived...We went to the bench when Bill came back from buying our ticket and asked what I wanted to do and where I wanted us to go next and I said "Home!" I have enough pictures to share to my group. Then I sat the other way from him because I saw two guys eyeing me seriously...I looked in the direction of the security who looked after me while Bill was gone, he smiled at me in a reassuring way. Then I looked up and saw this midday sun peering between the structure and decided to take that shot...

Thank you again for passing by and commenting and critiquing. As usual, you have a good eye. I just wished you'd tell me my building shots are OK now... 'Appreciate your comments anyway.

[IzzieK]

Senior pass?? You look so young in your avatar picture. I did not go to Wash. U. I went to what is now AT Still in Kirksville, Missouri. Then to NYC for the rest of my training. I am currently practicing in the Twin Cities but my "fun" home is in Wyoming. I will be there on a permanent basis at the end of 2018.

We have one grandchild who is now 4 years old. She was three years old there. Bill is 74 years young but between you and me, don't tell him I told you he is old. He got only one senior pass. It can cover up to 3 people and a vehicle with 4 people at the back.

So! you majored in Bones Technology...Kirkwood has many diverse activities. I like that place a lot. Some of the houses there were built by a pilot/engineer. Ha made more money building houses than being a commercial pilot. Wyoming is a good place but for me, only to visit every now and then. It is far too cold to live over there.

Anyway, thanks for passing by and commenting. 'Always enjoy talking to you.

[IzzieK]

Nice set Izzie The last one is my favorite. I also like the auto nd filter in the first one.
I think the bridge has potential under the right weather conditions.

Thank you for your kind comment. That #2 in reality is a dirty place sort of...compared to the other side of the bridge where the Arch is located. 'Appreciate your comments...

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I drove past the arch once way back in the '90's on my way to Ohio.
Nice captures Izzie, I was probably watching that Cards game on TV when you were there.